Pieces of a Heart
by Kuma-Idle
Summary: Is it possible for a gentle heart to keep loving? Through a sudden realisation, Ichigo ponders this very question while Orihime bakes. Could be seen as IchigoxOrihime.


**Title:** Pieces of a Heart

**Characters:** Ichigo, Orihime, References to Rukia, Isshin, Tatsuki & Chad

**Rating: **PG

First sort of Ichigo and Orihime focused fanfic in a while. Not exactly romantic but pretty much in the gen/friendship category.

* * *

Orihime had been in the kitchen for almost two hours. It was usually at this moment that he was advised by Tatsuki to open the door and stop her from whatever she was doing. Apparently, there was a saturation point where Orihime's cooking went from distinctively unusual to plainly indigestible. Yet this being Valentine's Day, and he being weak on the prospect of chocolate cake, his resistance crumbled as Orihime busily finished up her "creation." Flicking through the TV proved to be a dismal way of holding his attention. Rukia had made an escape half an hour earlier with Chad, so unless he wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon lectured by his father over his pitiful love life his butt was well and truly parked on her sofa.

Ichigo looked down at his wristwatch before tilting his head towards the Kitchen door.

"Are you okay in there Inoue?"

There was a bit of a clattering before the kitchen door managed to squeak open. A small female head peeped out, covered with what seemed to be flour and a rather unusual green substance.

"I'm Fine!" She replied "Just…just give me a few minutes!"

And she quickly shut the door once more. Blinking at the smoothness of the action, Ichigo folded his arms and faced the television once again. There was something slightly odd by the way she was doing things. Surely chocolate cake making was a much shorter process? Even then, didn't she notice the others where no longer there?

It was this thought and this thought alone that nearly made him choke on his own tongue. _What was he doing alone in Inoue's apartment? _Something about it felt strange, somewhat sinful. It was convenient. _Too _convenient. There where more than four of them there an hour ago, yet they all seemed determined to leave as time went by. This meant leaving him all alone with his female classmate. His very pretty and sweet classmate that he'd only recently realized had feelings for him.

He didn't know when exactly the penny dropped, but whenever that moment was, it shocked him quite a bit. Not in terms Keigo described it ("How do you get so lucky? First Kuchiki-san and now Inoue?!" which promptly earned him a punch in the face) but the idea Orihime could have those kind of feelings for anybody, let alone him. Tatsuki had almost drop kicked him when she heard him but she had obviously misunderstood. Orihime to him was…Orihime. Weird, goofily chirpy but always nice to everyone. The idea of her liking anyone …well_ romantically _liking anyone seemed impossible; she was already giving her heart full heartedly to everyone. She couldn't then love someone on top of that surely? Wasn't there such a thing as a limit to loving people? Whatever the case, he was sure it was some sort of mistake.

If there was one thing to defeat that thought, it was when he thought back at the time when Rukia was taken back to Soul Society. Orihime's little talk to him. The assurance before they left, the little words she tried to squeeze in when he was feeling down. When they split up, when they where back together again. He couldn't remember her exact words, heck he couldn't remember some of the things that where happening in those situations. But he remembered her eyes. It sounded so ridiculous but it was true. There was something really memorable about her big brown caring eyes. He'd be scoffed if he told anyone else apart from Chad, but her eyes in those moments seemed to say it all. Imposibility wasn't a factor. She could love someone just a little bit more. And that was him.

It truly frightened him.

He wasn't ready for a relationship. He knew that, and he guessed that she probably knew that. His life was too complicated, his dedication to protecting their town too huge for him to even pounder having a girlfriend. Ichigo was still so confused about everything else; let alone knowing how to pinpoint his feelings for her. She probably didn't want him to be forced into accepting her feelings anyway. And it wasn't fair. Ichigo never knew he could be so scared about anyone or caring towards them at the same time. Yet somehow Inoue Orihime stood as evidence it was possible.

That's what made him make that silent resolve. He'd treat her gently from now on. Not too differently from the way before, but enough for her to realize that he knew. Knew and needed time to think things over, formulate his plans from now on without hurting her. Like she had done little things for him, he would try to do little things for her. Most of all, he wanted to assure her, that even if he wasn't too clear on his feelings, he still cared for her.

His thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the door. Orihime stood, ash white from flour with the object of her labour in her hands. Blinking he stood, moving closer to her, the blush in her cheeks getting deeper and deeper with each step he took.

"I-I…" She stammered, looking at her toes. "This is just for…Happy Valentine's day Kurosaki-kun."

It was a very unusual cake. A chocolate shaped spaceship with sprinkled white icing (Later he'd realze it was salt) and green icing. He felt his stomach knot. Something inside him told him to run. Yet he could only look at the cake and smile.

"Thank you Inoue."  
_  
Thank you for caring so much..._

He didn't know why, but his entire body felt rather strange then. Maybe he was elated? Glad? He didn't know and could honestly have cared less. Orihime was now facing him, brown eyed and loving him silently.

Maybe…just maybe he could like her a bit more. But would that mean he'd have to hold her hand one day? Take her places, talk to her on the phone more frequently? Maybe even (if he dared) kiss her? He wasn't sure he could do those things. But it was far too early to tell. The silence between them was comforting. Not a silence filled with mistust, but one hopeful about the words to come, the sentences they will form and the happiness they could create.

He'd still argue with others about this later.

* * *

Well that's it. This doesn't really have a timeline so lets just say Post HM arc to be safe. Or it could be AU if things change around. 


End file.
